thelinuxlink.net

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/ptech/09/0 ... index.html

here is a real scary article

There are so many levels that this is wrong I can't begin to explain them but all I got to say is don't the sheeple realize that microsoft is a convicted monopoly that have continued to buy their way out jams and that we should be using them as an example of how not to do business not be like them.

I don't understand how the great microsoft business model can be constantly used as an example to look up to when they are a convicted monopolist. Does making a ton of money make it okay? Does making a ton of money make it okay to forget ethics? If the leaders of our nation want to know what is wrong with our nation then they need to look no further than this article.

ya lets teach our kids how to develop bloated code and force it down people's throats by making backroom deals with vendors. awesome! it's all okay though because you will make a ton of money and you can buy your way out any lawsuits and it will be good for all the lawyers too. then you too can open you own high school and teach the children how you did it all and what techniques you used.

This might be scary for open source and linux in general but not for any of the reasons you mention.

hellonorman wrote:This might be scary for open source and linux in general but not for any of the reasons you mention.

so I guess you don't think teaching high school students microsoft business tactics is not scary?

to me the biggest part of this is that we are saying it is okay to run your business like microsoft. even though you get convicted by the doj you can make enough money to make up for it.

the world definitely doesn't need anymore business people like steve ballmer or bill gates.

What I think is scary is that high school students will become very proficient in writing windows software. You really think this school's objective is to teach MS business tactics?

hellonorman wrote:What I think is scary is that high school students will become very proficient in writing windows software. You really think this school's objective is to teach MS business tactics?

yes

The company didn't pay the $63 million cost -- that was borne by the Philadelphia School District -- but shared its personnel and management skills. About 170 teens, nearly all black and mainly low-income, were chosen by lottery to make up the freshman class. The school eventually plans to enroll up to 750 students.

This is completely different from any Philadelphia school I've ever seen," said Tramelle Hicks, 39, of West Philadelphia, whose 15-year-old daughter, Kierra, is going to the school. She said she believes her daughter would benefit from learning strategic and organizational skills from Microsoft.

sounds like it to me.

Students -- who are called "learners" -- use smart cards to register attendance, open their digital lockers and track calories they consume. They carry laptops, not books, and the entire campus has wireless Internet access.

Early programming to get students used to being watched by "big brother" so later in life it's easier for them to accept such things issued by the government?

There's no library, but an "interactive learning center" where information is all digital and a "multimedia specialist" will help out students.

Nothing in print, only in electronic format so it's easier for administration to censor and change "facts" to suite their own agenda when the needs arise?

Officials, teachers and students are to be trained in dozens of skills, including organizing and planning, negotiating, dealing with ambiguity and managing relationships.

I don't see anything about ethics here.... like teaching the students to be able to recognize bullshit and when to stand up and say "NO" to a corporation's heavy-handed tactics.

I wonder if they're going to teach the values of freedom and open source. If this is Microsoft, I'll safely assume the answer is no.

I"ll keep the rest of my opinions on this subject to myself.

I'm not from Philly so I'm no expert on the state of the schools down there. If I had to guess I'm sure it's a safe bet that they're not that great. They probably have the same issues as a lot of inner city schools. Poor grades, high dropout rates, crime & violence and a massive level of institutionalized mediocrity. While it's unfortunate that they're being trained to use M$ software it's probably a lot better than what they're used to. The part that jumped out at me was that they have to apply to college as part as their admittance. That's a major positive. Listen I don't like M$ sh|t products like anyone else around here but I don't have a problem with them spending millions on a school in some poor ass district that probably wouldn't ever see that much money spent on them. I applaud them for trying to help out people. Hopefully those kids will become IT professionals and eventually learn what crap M$ sells. We did.

Patrick wrote:I'm not from Philly so I'm no expert on the state of the schools down there. If I had to guess I'm sure it's a safe bet that they're not that great. They probably have the same issues as a lot of inner city schools. Poor grades, high dropout rates, crime & violence and a massive level of institutionalized mediocrity. While it's unfortunate that they're being trained to use M$ software it's probably a lot better than what they're used to. The part that jumped out at me was that they have to apply to college as part as their admittance. That's a major positive. Listen I don't like M$ sh|t products like anyone else around here but I don't have a problem with them spending millions on a school in some poor ass district that probably wouldn't ever see that much money spent on them. I applaud them for trying to help out people. Hopefully those kids will become IT professionals and eventually learn what crap M$ sells. We did.

I would tend to agree with you but when it says this in the article it is kind of scary to me. Sounds like to me they didn't spend a dime. But I am sure they gave them breaks on the software. Can't wait for the pricetag of the upgrades.

The company didn't pay the $63 million cost -- that was borne by the Philadelphia School District -- but shared its personnel and management skills. About 170 teens, nearly all black and mainly low-income, were chosen by lottery to make up the freshman class. The school eventually plans to enroll up to 750 students.

Unfortunately I have yet to see someone else comment on something that I endured 10 years ago + (class of 97 here). The schools are teaching us what to think, rather than how to think. I dont see a change here, in fact it seems to me that if you throw money at a problem, you are helping solve it.

I dont care how much you love computers, the fact that there is one doesnt make it the magical solution. We pianos before elctric keyboards, chalkboars before projectors. If you can't make it work with the "lesser" of the techno-tools, you are definitely up a creek without a paddle (I didnt cuss, aint that a first!!).

The problem I have seen with the lesser off, is the fact no skills are being honed, nor are cognitive thinking being pursued. The blacks in Milwaukee here that are pissed about being poor share (most not all) the uselessness trait in common. They are not taught to think, they are taught to regurgitate info shoved down their throats. Ask someone why they think or feel some way and you will be able to see what I mean. Lotsa "I dunno" responses.

Personally I think more people need to realize that the large biomass ontop of their spine is more than something to attract tumors, but rather the finest, most well crafted, supercomputer, the better off we will be. Unfortunately in this "do it for me" and pass the buck society that is bleeding to other nations, I definitely am in the minority here.

Anything I missed is because this is my lunchtime and I need to acquire food ASAP. Too bad the bars closed a half hour ago ....

I went to public school in california. (in fact, I guess cal is still a public school in california...) In oakland nonetheless. Oakland has the worst school system in the developed world. Compared to that, a Microsoft training academy seems like heaven.

jsusanka wrote:

hellonorman wrote:What I think is scary is that high school students will become very proficient in writing windows software. You really think this school's objective is to teach MS business tactics?

yes

The company didn't pay the $63 million cost -- that was borne by the Philadelphia School District -- but shared its personnel and management skills. About 170 teens, nearly all black and mainly low-income, were chosen by lottery to make up the freshman class. The school eventually plans to enroll up to 750 students.

This is completely different from any Philadelphia school I've ever seen," said Tramelle Hicks, 39, of West Philadelphia, whose 15-year-old daughter, Kierra, is going to the school. She said she believes her daughter would benefit from learning strategic and organizational skills from Microsoft.

sounds like it to me.

Having students learn in a workplace type enviroment is much different than teaching them backroom dealing. I still think the scary part is that if this catches on than many high school students are going to become proficient at writing windows software which is not going to be good for the open source community.